Mississippi College's Kent Mummert of Clinton and Courtney Melton of Bentonia, MS will display their works in statewide art competition in February.

The talented duo is entered in the 2009 Mississippi Collegiate Art Competition at Millsaps College in Jackson Feb. 20-21. Recently, there were 644 student entries pared down to 100. Mummert was a graduate student at MC when his photograph was taken and later submitted. After earning his master of arts degree at MC in May, Mummert is now an adjunct professor at his alma mater in Clinton. Melton is an MC student whose fiber art piece was selected.

Joining MC and Millsaps, other schools participating include: the University of Mississippi, William Carey University, the University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State University, Delta State University and Mississippi University for Women.

"This competition is difficult to get into," said Steve Cook, an MC art professor, who noted more than 500 entries didn't make it. "It speaks well of these students and of our art department that these works were accepted."

The works will be displayed at the Lewis Art Gallery on the Millsaps campus during an exhibition that runs from Friday Feb. 20 until Thursday March 19. An awards reception is set for Saturday Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. at the gallery. The public is invited. There is no admission charge.

Sizing up the entries at the competition in February will be juror Michael Crespo, a professor of painting and drawing at Louisiana State University. There will be at least four major awards presented to the winners.

"We encourage our students to participate in the exhibition," said Randy Miley, chairman of the MC art department. But once they are selected for the competition, "we really celebrate their achievement," he added. Melton was one of his art students at the Christian university.

Contact Andy Kanengiser, University News Coordinator, at 601.925.7760 or at kanengis@mc.edu.